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NEWS RELEASE
29th November 2011
LIB DEMS WELCOME CORNWALL COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR COUNCIL TAX FREEZE
PROPOSAL
Cornwall Council's Liberal Democrats have welcomed the decision by
the full council to back their amendment to freeze council tax in
Cornwall in the coming year.
"We faced the choice of asking residents to pay more to maintain
the current level of services or accepting the government's offer
of a grant to freeze council tax next year," said Cllr Alex Folkes,
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat group. "For us this was
no choice. We cannot justify asking residents to pay a penny more
than we have to."
"From saying over the past month that they were not prepared
to discuss council tax levels until next year, the Conservative leadership
have performed a hurried u-turn and were today prepared to accept
the Liberal Democrat proposal of a council tax freeze. What is clear,
however, is that the administration is split down the middle on the
key issue of council tax with three of the four independent members
voting for a 3% rise."
Cllr Jeremy Rowe, Liberal Democrat group leader, added:
"Far from their rhetoric of going early and being bold, the
Conservative administration has been reduced to following the Liberal
Democrats in doing what is right for local residents. It is clear
that the Cabinet is split down the middle on the key issue of council
tax and they are failing to deliver what is best for the people of
Cornwall."
"The Liberal Democrat council tax freeze will save a Band D
council tax payer £31.11 next year. That may not be a huge amount,
but it will be a welcome contribution to the household kitty of many
Cornish families."
ENDS
For further information contact Alex Folkes on 07984 644138
--
Councillor Alex Folkes
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Launceston Central
and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group
Blog: LansonBoy <http://lansonboy.blogspot.com>
Phone: 07984 644138
Newquay Airport Fire Sale
Cornwall Councilor Edwina Hannaford, shadow
for the Economy has responded to the Tory administration's announcement
that the sale of Newquay Airport is being considered, by warning that
trying to sell this asset during the deepest recession this Country
has seen since the 30's is highly unlikely to give best return for
the Cornish tax payer.
Cllr Hannaford, member for West Looe and Lansallos
said. "Sometimes you just have to have the courage to weather
the storm for a better long term return." "Although I agree
the long term aim may well be to sell on, but I don't believe this
is the time to even consider this, it will be seen as a fire sale."
"Short term-ism and uncertainty could undermine confidence at
a time when the we are seeking investors to take advantage of the
recently approved Enterprise Zone."
Leader of the Lib Dem group Cllr Jeremy Rowe
said, "For the Tory administration to admit now may be the wrong
time to go to market due to the present economic situation only highlights
their incompetence." "They also seem to have overlooked
consulting with the chair of the Local Enterprise Partnership."
Cllr Geoff Brown member for Newquay Central
said. "I thought we had a clear plan on the direction of the
airport, with the recent shot in the arm of the Enterprise Zone."
"To seek now in a depressed economic climate to "sell off"
the facility seems about as sensible as Gordon Brown selling our gold
reserves when the gold price was on the floor!"
Cllr Hannaford concluded. "Although we
must always keep the situation under review, these are panic reactions
from an administration that doesn't know what it is doing."
Notes
The Council commissioned consultants Capita
to carry out a detailed study on the economic impact of the airport.
The results of the study, which looked at all matters relating to
air travel, to and from the airport, how Cornish businesses use the
airport for both business travel and promoting inward investment and
finally, projected trends from now until 2030, will be formally presented
to members of the Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny committee
on 19 October.
Edwina Hannaford 07717203725 edwinahannaford@btconnect.com
Geoff Brown 01637 875660 07866334681 geoff-brown@talktalk.net
Jeremy Rowe 01208 814350 07894 329860 jeremy.rowe27@gmail.com
NEWS RELEASE
26th August 2011
Tory claims of Olympic Torch Procession bonanza 'pie in the sky'
Cllr Edwina Hannaford, Liberal Democrat Councillor for West Looe
and Lansallos, has challenged the Council Leader Alec Robertson and
economy portfolio holder Chris Ridgers over plans to spend £135,000
on coordinating the one day Olympic torch event next May and has branded
income claims as 'pie in the sky'.
Cllr Hannaford said, "I am a firm supporter of tourism businesses
in Cornwall but I just cant see how the one day event will result
in a further 10,000 bed spaces being occupied resulting in an additional
£7m coming into the economy of Cornwall. With an estimated 31,000
bed spaces in Cornwall in the serviced sector and 64% bed occupancy
anyway in May to say an additional 10,000 people will stay is just
unrealistic. We could just not accommodate that number, especially
as the torch procession is on a Saturday when occupancy rates are
higher anyway."
"The Tory portfolio holder has claimed that as many as 10,000
people will come from Devon to Cornwall to watch the procession. Why
would someone from Plymouth and Exeter come to Cornwall to see the
relay when they can see it in their home city?"
"Cllr Ridgers claims that all these extra visitors would spend
£275 each per night for a two night stay. But the latest figures*
show that our visitors spend an average of £94 per head per
night when they stay in serviced accommodation and £54 per head
per night in self-catering. Cllr Ridgers' £275 figure is unrealistic,
unjustified and pie in the sky."
"When local projects and services are being cut, it seems the
Tory Leadership is happy to throw thousands of pounds of taxpayers'
money at a one day event while making ridiculous claims on the benefits."
ENDS
*Note - Statistics for 2008 from SE Tourism Alliance state that serviced
accommodation generated £379m visitor spend from 4m bed nights,
that's £94.00 per bed night and based on the same figures for
self catering £52 per bed night.
For further information contact Cllr Edwina Hannaford on 07707 203725
Stephen Gilbert, the Liberal Democrat MP for
Mid Cornwall, has slammed Cornwall Council's decision to spend upwards
of £135,000 on coordinating the one day event of the Olympic
torch travelling through Cornwall.
The Council has pledged to spend £17,000 to employ a coordinator
and will also be spending £75,000 from Alec Robertson's 'Leader's
Contingency Fund' and £50,000 from the Cornwall Development
Company to arrange and promote the events of the day.
Commenting Stephen Gilbert said:
"It's simply bonkers, bonkers, bonkers for Cornwall Council to
throw money around with such a carefree attitude for a one-day event
when they are, at the same time, hitting local projects and services
with funding cuts.
"We hear a lot about the legacy that will be left after the 2012
Olympics, but there will be no legacy to come from this money. Instead
of this the Council should be putting the cash into local projects
that benefit our communities and help local people. That's the legacy
that Cornwall needs."
ENDS
Hamish McCallum | Head of Office
Office of Stephen Gilbert MP
Tel: 020 7219 1276 | Mob: 07506 678427 | Fax:
020 7219 4180
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
The constituency covers 21 Cornwall Council electoral
divisions, the Liberal Democrats representing Liskeard Central, Liskeard
South and Dobwalls, Looe West and Lansallos, Saltash Burraton, Saltash
Essa, Saltash St Stephens, St Cleer, St Ive and Torpoint West.
